Empowering Industry Podcast - A Production of Empowering Pumps & Equipment

Exciting week as Charli goes international with Julia and Franziska of Rethink Robotics!

Julia Astrid Riemenschneider, CEO of Rethink Robotics, started her professional career in the tourism industry, where she served six years in various sales, marketing, and product management roles. While working on her master’s degree in sales management, she switched to the world of automation and manufacturing. As a project manager at advacon, a consulting firm focused on small and medium-sized industrial companies, Riemenschneider was mentored by former managers from Rittal, which increased her expertise in business development. A consulting project for a leading company in sensor technology brought her to the United States, where she learned market-specific management and sales strategies. In later roles at a German-based vision system company, she was introduced to new technologies and the deeper integration of manufacturing processes. In 2019 Riemenschneider joined Universal Robots as the channel manager and later channel program manager. In these roles she worked with partners in Western Europe and developed new strategies for the alignment of integrators and distributors. In 2022 Riemenschneider joined United Robotics Group (URG). In charge of business development, she established a team of strong managers and implemented various business units and segments to serve different industries. Since September 2024, Riemenschneider has overseen URG endeavors in North America. As CEO of URG Inc. and affiliated company Rethink Robotics, she leads a team to grow the businesses’ market presence and increase sales growth.

Riemenschneider’s LinkedIn

Rethink Robotics LinkedIn  

Rethink Robotics website

Franziska Lorenz is COO of Rethink Robotics and United Robotics Americas, both U.S. entities of United Robotics Group. In 2017, Lorenz graduated from Wiesbaden Business School with master’s degree in international business administration. She spent a semester in Mexico and worked in Spain and Italy during her undergraduate and graduate education. Lorenz started her career as executive assistant to the CEO at Schenck Process Group. Then she spent two years as M&A and integration manager in the same company, responsible for international acquisition projects on both the buy and sell sides. Lorenz joined United Robotics Group, an ecosystem of robotics companies combining both social and industrial robotics, in 2021 as corporate development manager and compliance officer, responsible for strategic growth of the group while focusing on governance and compliance. Since 2024 she’s been a member of the group’s leadership team. 

Franziska’s LinkedIn

Rethink Robotics LinkedIn

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Tom Hill joins the podcast this week and we are beyond thrilled! Tom has graciously decided to join us and put his extrovert hat on. Coming from an engineering family, you could say it was in his blood to become one himself.
Tom has decades of experience to share with us on his fascinating journey, from working in so many areas of the vast engineering field. 


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Barb Allen joins Charli this week on the Podcast. Barb is a Queen of Empowerment, from working in male dominated fields to branching out on her own entrepreneurial journey to starting her very own subscription box service. Barb is truly an inspiration.

Construction Barb

Find us @EmpoweringPumps on Facebook, LinkedIn,  Instagram and Twitter and using the hashtag #EmpoweringIndustryPodcast or via email [email protected]   

Vince joins Charli to talk all things pump industry this week as these two industry pros have a great New Year's chat.


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Welcome to 2025! Charli is kicking off a new year of The Empowering Industry Podcast with Inventor Natalia Galin!

Natalia Galin is an engineer and scientist with a strong foundation in mathematics and physics. She has been working as an Engineer at Galin Engine since September 2020, where she has been involved in improving the fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines through a redesign that removes the main sources of friction in existing engines. The proposed design is based on a swing piston engine, which has clear advantages over the current design as it has no requirement for valves or camshaft, and has direct rotational motion creation. The patented design uses electrical machines to provide coordinated rotation of the pistons, aiming to create a cheaper, simpler, more fuel-efficient internal combustion engine.

Natalia holds a PhD in Mathematics and Physics from the University of Tasmania, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from University of New South Wales. Her PhD dissertation is titled "Development of 2-8 GHz FMCW radar for helicopter borne estimation of snow over sea ice in Antarctica."

Natalia has published several research papers and holds patents for her work.

Some links to how people can reach me:

- LinkedIn

- Website (pump specific)

Find us @EmpoweringPumps on Facebook, LinkedIn,  Instagram and Twitter and using the hashtag #EmpoweringIndustryPodcast or via email [email protected]   

Charli is wrapping up 2024 with the incredible Elaine Hepley!

Elaine is the CEO and Founder of Solana Consulting Services LLC - which offers education, training, analysis and mitigation services for Varnish related issues. Elaine has also partnered up with Delta-Xero Distribution to help customers remove varnish, extend the life of the oil, decrease maintenance costs while also having a positive impact on our environment. Her background is 16 years of Industry experience in condition monitoring, data statistics with an emphasis on Varnish Analysis.She is certified in Women In Leadership with Cornell University, is currently CLS and OMA Certified through STLE. Serves on the Board of Directors for STLE and is Chair of the DEI Committee. She is passionate about helping others while helping decrease our carbon footprint one filter at a time.  

Find us @EmpoweringPumps on Facebook, LinkedIn,  Instagram and Twitter and using the hashtag #EmpoweringIndustryPodcast or via email [email protected]   

A special treat as Charli brings long time friend and former collegiate Professor Dr. Susan Fant on the podcast this week!

Dr. Susan Fant Cassity wrote The Stress Less Guide: Social Media Marketing Made Easy to help people take the stress out business topics like marketing, so they can reach their goals and then go back to doing what they love to do (instead of worrying about the clicks, likes, shares, and all the changes being made to the business world every day). Susan is the founder of two companies and she created one of the first digital and social media marketing specializations at the Master’s of Marketing level in the USA at the University of Alabama. Susan completed certifications, courses, and degrees in business, entrepreneurship, education, creative industries, and organizational change and leadership from Birmingham-Southern College, University of St Andrews, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cornell University, and the University of Southern California. You can learn more about the book and contact Susan directly at http://www.emarketingdirector.com. 

Connect with Susan:

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Find us @EmpoweringPumps on Facebook, LinkedIn,  Instagram and Twitter and using the hashtag #EmpoweringIndustryPodcast or via email [email protected]   

Charli has Bill Fisher on the pod this week to talk learning and how to bring AI into the process.

Bill Fisher serves as Senior Manager, Education and Training for Xylem. His team is responsible for customer and representative training across multiple Xylem brands including Bell & Gossett, Flygt, Goulds Water Technology and Sensus. Fisher has been with Xylem since 2016 and holds a master’s of education in learning design and technology from North Carolina State University.


 Read up at EmpoweringPumps.com and stay tuned for more news about EPIC at the Colorado School of Mines Nov 12th and 13th.

Find us @EmpoweringPumps on Facebook, LinkedIn,  Instagram and Twitter and using the hashtag #EmpoweringIndustryPodcast or via email [email protected]   

Starting November off with a double whammy! Andy and Robert from Regal Rexnord join Charli on the pod today!

Andy comes to us with 15+ years of experience in high level technology sales and leadership. As the National Sales Manager for Perceptiv, he is responsible for full GTM strategy for all things digital technology related, specifically condition monitoring, asset reliability and machine health, helping his industrial customers improve their maintenance efficiencies and reliability.   Before joining Regal Rexnord he was the Director of Digital Sales – Americas region for Grundfos, Inc., the largest pump manufacturer in the world, serving a similar capacity. 

Robert joined Regal Rexnord in July of 2018. He has more than 20 years of experience in executive leadership, sales, marketing, and strategy. Prior to joining Regal Rexnord, Robert has been a company founder and held leadership positions across companies in manufacturing (Johnson Controls), industrial distribution (Interline Brands), and retail (The Home Depot). He has been involved with The Digital Value Institute, collaborating with highly accomplished CIOs and IT futurists on how digital strategies can create value across enterprises. Robert was previously the eCommerce initiative leader and Director of Strategic Marketing for the Regal Rexnord MCS Segment. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Flagler College and an MBA from Ohio State University.

 Read up at EmpoweringPumps.com and stay tuned for more news about EPIC at the Colorado School of Mines Nov 12th and 13th.

Find us @EmpoweringPumps on Facebook, LinkedIn,  Instagram and Twitter and using the hashtag #EmpoweringIndustryPodcast or via email [email protected]   

One more Bonus just in time for EPIC! Charli has Hannah Verrall from Sundyne on to talk about her experiences. 

As Product Line Manager, I’m responsible for the product roadmap and go to market strategies for Sundyne sealless pump product lines, to position them for growth in chemical, industrial and traditional energy markets, as well as emerging markets in renewables and sustainable energy production. Based at the Sundyne factory in Eastbourne UK, I provide the link between operations, NPD and external sales teams and work closely with our distribution network to make sure I’m in tune with market trends. With a BEng and MSc in Engineering, I have a passion for encouraging females and young people to enter STEM industries and mentoring others to support their professional advancement. In my current position and previous roles as Applications Engineer and Aftermarket Manager, I have gained expertise in centrifugal pump technology and related industry standards, along with various skills in team management, bid management and negotiation, troubleshooting/FMEA and business case development.

Find us @EmpoweringPumps on Facebook, LinkedIn,  Instagram and Twitter and using the hashtag #EmpoweringIndustryPodcast or via email [email protected]   

 Read up at EmpoweringPumps.com and stay tuned for more news about EPIC at the Colorado School of Mines Nov 12th and 13th.

Find us @EmpoweringPumps on Facebook, LinkedIn,  Instagram and Twitter and using the hashtag #EmpoweringIndustryPodcast or via email [email protected]